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A closer look: Medicaid

Sun-News Report

Posted:
01/06/2013 06:04:05 PM MST

Gov. Susana Martinez has loomed large in the Roundhouse during her first two years as governor. New Mexico In Depth, in partnership with the Santa Fe New Mexican and Las Cruces Sun-News, is examining what she's done and what's in store for the rest of her term. Monday's story on Medicaid expansion is the second article in a six-part series. On Sunday, we profiled the governor. Here's what's coming up later this week:

— Medicaid is a health-insurance program that started in 1965 for people who have
disabilities or are pregnant, have young families and earn very low incomes.

— Medicaid is different from Medicare, which is a federally funded program that
provides health insurance to people who are 65 and older or have disabilities.

— The federal government's formula for Medicaid spending depends on the state's
economics. In New Mexico, the feds typically pay about 70 percent of New
Mexico's Medicaid expenses while the state pays 30 percent. In fiscal year 2012,
the federal government spent about $2.6 billion on Medicaid while New Mexico
spent $857.3 million.

— If New Mexico expands Medicaid enrollment, the federal government will spend
between $4.5 billion and $6.2 billion in additional money in New Mexico from
2014 through 2020. The state won't spend any additional money until 2017.

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At
most, the state's share of the cost of providing services for the new Medicaid
recipients in any one year will be 10 percent starting in 2020.

— From 2017 to 2020, the state's Human Services Department anticipates spending
between $320 and $496 million more if Medicaid is expanded.

Sources: New Mexico Human Services Department and New Mexico Voices for Children

How do we solve New Mexico's shortage of health-care providers?

The New Mexico Health Policy Commission, a state agency that provided independent research and policy recommendations until its budget was eliminated in 2010, wrote a report that year detailing recommendations for addressing the health workforce shortage.

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